Saltalamacchia likes Rangers' core

Young catcher hopes to build on rookie season

Jarrod Saltalamacchia likes the youthful swagger of his Texas Rangers teammates in 2008. One of the game's highly regarded young players, the 22-year-old catcher is part of a core group of young talent that includes Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler among others.

"I think just looking at what we have is really special. Last year kind of woke up a lot of guys, and, with the acquisitions we got, I think we're going to be a team to beat," Saltalamacchia told MLBPLAYERS.com in a recent Players Talk show.

"Our lineup is filled with power, and in our park, it's just going to be a joke this year."

Saltalamacchia was acquired by the Rangers in the middle of the 2007 season as a centerpiece in the trade which sent Mark Teixeira to the Braves. Combining totals for both teams, Saltalamacchia batted .266 with 11 home runs and 66 RBIs in 308 at-bats as a rookie.

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